Annunciator-receiving casing



S p 1930- A. E. GARBUTE-T AL 94 ANNUNCIATOR RECEIVING CASING Filed June 18, 1928 Patented Sept. 9, 1930 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT E. GARBUT, OF WINNIPEG, DONALD COCHRANE, OF ST. BONIFACE, AND JOHN E. WATKINS, OF WINNEPEG, MANITOBA,

CANADA, ASSIGNORS TO WINNIPEG BRASS LIMITED, 0 WINNIPEG, CANADA, A CORPORATION OF MANITOBA, CANADA AN N UNGIATOR-RECEIVING CASING Application filed June 18,

The invention relates to improvements in annunciator receiving casings and an object of the invention is to provide a casing for mounting such as onthe forward end of a street car and designed to receive and protect a route indicating annunciator, the casing being supplied with a window through Which the annunciator is visible and also with guides to slidably receive the annunciator when it movesup into place.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a casing for receiving and protecting the annunciator and means suspending the annunciator in the working position, said means being arranged so that the annunciator can be easily and quickly removed from the casing and without in any way interfering with the casing or the illuminating means provided within the casing for illuminating the annunciator.

. A further object is to provide a receiving casing for the annunciator which will have a neat and pleasing appearance both from the exterior and interior of the car and to arrange the parts so that the annunciator can be removed by the motorman without requiring to leave the car vestibule and without requiring any tools to do the work and further to provide means whereby the motorman can readily see the route number displayed by the annunciator when thesame is in working position within the casing.

A further object is to construct the casing with guides to prevent lateral sway of the contained annunciator.

' With the above more important and other minor objects in view which will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists essentlally 111 the arrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig.. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the forward end of a street car and through the annunciator protective casing and showing the annunciator and the illuminating lamp inside elevation and the annunciator in its working position within the casing.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, the

1928. Serial No. 286,180.

closure plate being shown in end elevation and the annunciator being shown as partially Withdrawn from the protective casing.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view through the casing at 8-3 Figure 2, the annunciator contained therein being shown in front elevation.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the closure plate, brackets and other associated parts.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

We may here explain that the structural arrangement of the annunciator herein shown forms a separate invention and is shown and described in detail in a co-pending application filed by us on the 18th day of June, 1928 under Serial No. 286,181.

The annunciator presents a box like casing 1 having front and rear windows 2 and 8 and endless belts indicated at 4 and 5 Figure 3 contained within the casing, the belts being provided each with a series of numbers and being adapted when wound and set to indicate the route number of the car. Figure 3, the route number is indicated as 38. Each winding belt is selectively controlled by a winding crank 6 located at the lower end of a tube 7 extending downwardly from each end of the box, the cranks 6 being within convenient range of the motorman. A combination closure and attaching plate 8 is permanently secured to the bottom of the box and extends beyond the ends thereof and is provided at the ends with holes 9 and 10 utilized for suspending the annunciator in working position.

We have not herein deemed it necessary to give any further description of the annunciator as its detail structure forms no part of the present invention other than that the plate 8is utilized to suspend the annunciator in working position and coacts with parts later described for such purpose.

A route annunciator such as described is displayed on a prominent part of the street car so that it can be readily seen by pedestrians and experience seems to indicate that the most desirable place is on the car roof directly overlying the motormans vestibule.

I We have found that it is very desirable to house the annunciator so that it is protected from the weather, dust'and dirt and whilst not interfering with the isibility of the annunciator and to this end, we have provided a receiving casing or housing indicated generally by the reference numeral 11 and mounted on the roof of the car. v

The housing is herein shown as formed from sheet metal and having the top, back and ends closed, the bottom open and the front provided with a window11, the-window being of sufficient area so that one can clearly see a route number displayed by the contained annunciator. Thehousing or cas ing 11 is provided at the bottom with a circumscribing outstanding flange 12 which can be permanently nailed or screwed to the roof of the car and as it is desired to make the same dust proof, a strip of canvas, felt or other gular opening 13. 'The'opening 13 is forwardly positioned inregard to thecasing 11 Y and is of such area that itwill freelyiadmit the box like casing 1'of the annunciator. Adjoining the ends of the opening, we locate a pair of spaced, parallel, horizontally disposed, rearwardly extending brackets .15. and 16 in the forn'iof bars having theirforward ends down turned and bolted as indicated at 17 to one of the cross rafters 18 of the .roof and their rearwardends up turned and bolted or. screwed as indicated at 19 to another of the roof rafters 20.

These brackets are spaced so thatthe annunciator casing 1 can be passed upwardly into the. casing ll'there between and when the annunciator is in its uppermost position,

the plate 8 thereof is adapted toengagewith and be stopped by said brackets. The brackets both carry downwardly extending bolts 21 adapted to pass through the openings 9 and '10 of the'plalte and the bolts are each fitted with a winged nut 22 so that when the plate has been raised and the bolts 21 passed through the openings 9 and 10 of the plate, the'annun ciator can be suspended in its working position by applying the nuts 22 and tightening the same up to jamthe ends of the plate between the nuts and the'bracket-s. The

window 2 of the annunciator in'its working position will be directly to the rear of the Window 11' and obviously the casing 11 must be high enough so that itwill in no way interfere with the passing of the annunciator to its final position.

The end walls of the casing 11 are each provided with a guide 23 presenting opposing annunciator and co-operate with the bolts 21 and nuts 22 to hold the annunciator firmlyin placea. r The area to the rear of the plates-of the annunciator when in its up position, is closed by a closure plate 26 which is provided at the rear edge with an up turned flange 27 fastenedby the'screws 19 to the roof rafter and at the endswith Leshaped flanges 28 and 29 fastened by screws or nails to the roof boards. The closure plate 26 is supplied with a peep 'cpeningfil normally closed by a sliding gate 32, the gate being fitted with a'finger' piece 33 so that'itcan bereadily opened and closed by the motorman. V y s p i The casing 11 supports centrally of its length and onthe top side, an'electric light socket '34 in which is screw threaded the customary electric lamp-35. This lamp is'utilized to illuminate the annunciator when desired and as the annunciator is provided as "hereinbefo-re stated with a front window 2 and a'rear window 3, it is quite 'easyfor'the pedestrian to see the route number of the annunciator 'through'the window 11 when the same is illuminated suchas at, night by" the electric lamp 35. v i j I The feed wires 36 and '37 lead in the usual manner from the light socket, "pass down wardly, through the. passage 14 and then transversely of the car in a location between the plate 26 andthe roof and finally pass out throughthe opening 38 appearingabove the bracket16 and adjoining the forward end of theflange 28V and are connected "with a source of current.

'According'tothe above arrangement when one wishes j to remove the annun'ciator for snow, dust or dirt from entering thefcar and in no way interferes with the visibility of the annunciator. Furtherthe motorman or other responsible party" can bodily remove the inspection, cleaning or other purposes, the

annunciator by simply undoing the nuts and sliding it down'out of'the casing 11 and such in no way'interferes with the casing 11, the illuminating light or wiresleading thereto.

It is a simple matter to reinsertthe annunciator as it is onlynecessary to pass, it

through the opening 13 and shove it up in the guides 23 until the plate'S is arrested by the brackets. Then by applying the nuts 22'and I tightening up, the work of reset-ting'iscompleted. t V If the motorman desires at any time' to re plenish a lamp or to see the numbers displayed on the annunciator, such can be readily done by opening the gate 82.

What we claim as our invention is 2- 1. The combination with the roof of a car, of an annunciator receiving and protecting casing permanently mounted on the roof and provided at the forward side with a window, there being an entrance opening through the car roof to the interior of the casing, an annunciator vertically slidable to housed position within the casing through the open ing aforesaid and visible in said housed position through the window and means operable from the interior of the car forreleasably fastening the base of the annunciator to the car roof.

2. The combination with the roof of a car, of an annunciator receiving and protecting casing permanently mounted on the roof of the car and provided with a forward window, there being an entrance opening provided in the roof and opening to the casing, a box like annunciator adapted to be passed vertically through the opening into housed position within the casing and visible in housed position through the window aforesaid, guides carried by the ends of the casing and guiding the annunciator as it is being passed into the casing and preventing side sway of the entered annunciator and means operable from the interior of the car for releasably supporting the entered annunciator.

8. The combination with the roof of a car, of an annunciator receiving and protecting casing permanently mounted on the roof of the car and provided with a forward window, there being an entrance opening provided in the roof and opening to the casing, a box like annunciator adapted to be passed vertically through the opening into housed position within the casing and visible in housed position through the window aforesaid, guides carried by the ends of the casing and guiding the annunciator as it is being passed into the casing and preventing side sway of the entered annunciator, supporting members extending from the ends of the annunciator base, bolts carried by the roof of the car and adapted to pass through suitable openings provided in said supporting members and nuts mounted on the bolts and engaging said supporting members.

4. The combination with the roof of a car, of an annunciator receiving and protecting easing permanently mounted on the roof of the car and provided at the front. side with a window, an annunciator adapted to be passed through a suitable opening provided in the roof of the car into the forepart of the casing, said inserted annunciator being visible through the window, a pair of spaced brackets permanently secured to the under side of the car roof, said brackets being at the ends of the annunciator in its entered position, a

plate permanently secured to the base of the annunciator and engageable with the under sides of the brackets in the entered position of the annunciator and attaching bolts carried by the brackets and passing through suitable openings provided in the ends of the plate and detachably supporting the annunciator.

5. The combination with the roof of a car, of an annunciator receiving and protecting casing permanently mounted on the roof of the car and provided at the front side with a window, an annunciator adapted to be passed through a suitable opening provided in the roof of the car into the forepart of the casing, said inserted annunciator being visible through the window, a pair of spaced brackets permanently secured to the under side of the car roof, said brackets being at the ends of the annunciator in its entered position, a plate permanently secured to the base of the annunciator and engageable with the under sides of the brackets in the entered position of the annunciator, attaching bolts car ried by the brackets and passing through suitable openings provided in the ends of the plate and detachably supporting the annunciator and a stationary closure plate carried by the roof of the car to the rear of the latter plate and provided with a normally closed peep opening.

Signed at WVinnipeg this 16th day of April,

ALBERT E. GARBUT. DONALD COCHRANE. JOHN E. WATKINS. 

